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'Hitterish' Harper finding stroke with Nats

'Hitterish' Harper finding stroke with Nats

Bryce Harper

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JUPITER, Fla. -- Bryce Harper saw exactly one pitch in his appearance against the Marlins on Wednesday, and he ripped that elevated changeup from Brian Sanches through the hole at second base for a seventh-inning RBI single.

That's the kind of thing that happens when you're feeling "hitterish," Harper explained.

"You wake up every morning and you're feeling hitterish and you're going to get a hit that day," Harper said. "If you get a hit every day, you're feeling hitterish, for sure. You know, you've got to wake and rake."

2010 Spring Training - null

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Spring Training Info

These little catchphrases are only a small part of what's made the Bryce Harper Show such an interesting and eye-catching part of Nationals camp. But it's long been established that the Nats intend to pull the plug on the show before Opening Day.

Harper will likely open the season in the low Minors, at Class A Hagerstown, which means that at some point soon the Nats will officially cut him from Major League camp so that he can start getting more consistent at-bats alongside his new teammates.

The Nationals haven't said when, exactly, the axe will fall on Harper, though the club is expected to make a few moves this coming weekend.

"[General Manager] Mike [Rizzo] mentioned the other day that we would probably make some cuts this weekend," manager Jim Riggleman said. "Whether or not he'd be in that first one or not, no names have been mentioned. He just said we'd cut the club down this weekend. I don't know if that's Friday or Saturday."

In the meantime, the show must go on. Harper is now batting .357 (5-for-14) with two doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored.